Apparatus for imprinting tax indicia on items



March 30, 1937. p-BROWN 2,075,169

APPARATUS FOR IMPRINTING TAX INDICIA ON ITEMS Filed Nov. 29, 1935 IN VENTOR. 3'. Brown ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR IMPRINTING TAX INDICIA ONITEMS 7 Claims.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a device for retail merchants that is capable of imprinting government tax information on certain taxable items of merchandise, thereby eliminating the usual gummed tax stamp and the cancellingof it.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tax indicia printing apparatus that keeps an accurate record of the times. it'has'been used' and one that after having been used; a certain predetermined number of times, automatically locks against further use.

A still further'object of my invention is to provide a device for imprinting tax indicia on merchandise that is economical in manufacture and durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims andillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of my apparatus ready for use.

Fig. 2-is aieft end-sectional view of my device with the operating handle completely depressed.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the apparatus with the handle depressed.

Fig. 4 is a front-sectional view of a portion of the device and more fully illustrates its construction.

Fig. 5 is a right end-sectional view of a portion 5 of my apparatus.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the locking mechanism of the device.

Fig. 7 is a rightend View of'the ratchet mechanism inside the housing portion of the device.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view-of the locking mechanism taken on line 8'8of Fig. 6.

Although my device may be successfully used for marking information on various merchandise that a tax has been paidby the vendor, it is particularly adapted for marking State tax indicia on packages of cigarettes. The most common method nowin use is for the merchant to purchase a quantity of cigarette tax stamps and when he sells apackage of cigarettes to stick one or more of these stamps on the cigarette package and cancel it with a rubberst'amper bearing certain information, such as his license number; Obviously; there are many'dis'advantages to this system. The printing ofithe'gummed stamps is. costly, and much time is lostinpla'cing them' on the package of cigarettes and cancelling them; Also, packages of cigarettes are encased with a Cellophanewrapper and which must be roughened before attempting to stick the stamp onit'.

I have overcome such disadvantages as will be ll. Extending upwardly from this'foot are two spaced apart posts l2 and I3. Slidably mounted in these two posts is the frame portion I4. The numeral [5 designates a vertical rod adjacent each of the posts l2 and I3. These two rods are secured to the base Ill and each is loosely encircled by the coil spring l6. Each of these springs has its lower end engaging the base I0 and its upper end engaging the frame I i'foryieldingly holding the frame in the upward position of its slidingmovement, as shown in Fig. 1. The 20 numeral l'l designates a shaft extending between the two posts 12 and I3 and located at one side of the frame id; as shown in Fig. 2. The numeral l8 designates a tray member pivoted for, swinging movement on the shaft H. The numeral 19 designates an ink holding pad inside the tray' l8. The numeral 20 designates a vertical toothed rack rigidly secured to each of the side portions i of the frame M. The numeral 2| designates a toothed gear segment integrally formed on each end portion of the tray 18. These two'gear segments are in engagement with the two racks 20, respectively, andare so arranged that when the frame is in an upward position, as shown in Fig. 5, the tray l8 will be'directly below the 5- frame, as shown in this figure, and when the frame I4 is in a lowered position the tray I8wil1 be swung to an inverted out-of-the=way' position, as shown in Fig. 2. The numeral 22" design-ates a housing normally resting between'the two'side housing 22 can be slid downwardly until the meme ber 23'is free from the frame '14. To assemble the housing in andto the frame l4 it is merely necessary to insert the'rod 23 through the frame" and tighten the handle 24" on it, thereby"clampi ing the upper portion of thefrafme" It between" 5 Threaded onto this rod 23*is the handle the handle 24 and the housing 22. In order to prevent unauthorized individuals from removing the housing 22 from the frame or disassembling the device, I have passed a flexible cable 25 through the handle 24and through the rod 23 and secured the two end portions of this cable rigidly together by a seal 26. Obviously, as long as this cable 25 extends through the handle 24 and rod 23, the handle 24 cannot be removed for detaching the housing 22 from the device. Other means may be employed for preventing the unauthorized removal of the handle 24, such as a padlock or like. The numeral 21 designates a window in the front side of the housing 22. Rotatably mounted in the housing 22 is the meter operating shaft 28. Rigidly secured on the left end of this shaft 28 is a disc 29 having a spring pawl 30 protruding beyond its periphery. The numerals 3|, 32, 33, and 34 designate the meter collars rotatably mounted inside the housing and around the shaft 28. These collars each have numerals on their peripheries, one at a time of which is capable of being observed through the window 2'! in the wellknown manner. Obviously, these collars and their kindred mechanism operate in the usual manner, i. e., after the collar 34 has been rotated one complete revolution, the collar 33 will be rotated'one-tenth manner.

' 28 and at the outer side of the plate 39.

of a revolution; when the collar 33 is rotated one 7 complete revolution, it will cause the collar 32 to be rotated one-tenth of a revolution; and

one-tenth of a revolution.

The collar 34 has the usual internal ratchet teeth 35 which are individually engaged by the pawl 38. The numeral 36 designates external ratchet. teeth on the collar 34. The numeral 31 designates a spring pawl in engagement with the external ratchet teeth 36 for preventing the rotation of the collar 34 to the right. The internal ratchet teeth 35 and pawl 38 are so arranged that the shaft 28 may rotate to the right without affecting the movement of the collar 34, but when the shaft 28 is rotated to the left the collar 34 will be rotated with it in the usual Each of the collars carries the numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, '7, 8, 9, and 0 running around its periphery. It will be noted that there are ten internal ratchet teeth 35 to correspond with the ten figures on the collar 34. The numeral 38 designates a vertical arm slidably mounted in and through the flat bottom of the housing This arm 38 is located near the left end of the housing 22 and is connected with a plate 39 located inside the left end portion of the housing 22. The numeral 40 designates a notched wheel rigidly secured on the left end of the shaft The numeral 4| designates a finger member rigidly secured on the plate 39 and in engagement with the notch of the wheel 40 as shown in Fig.2. The numeral 42 designates an imprinting element on the lower end ofthe arm 38. Such imprinting elements usually consist of an embossed rubber pad and in the drawing, I show this imprinting element capable of imprinting the name of the government imposing the tax The numeral 43 designates a spring for yieldingly holding the arm 38. in the downward position 42, except I show'it capable of imprinting the merchants serial number, the name of the merchandise being taxed, and the word Tax.

The numeral 45 designates a shaft slidably mounted in the housing capable of having one of its ends extending from thehousing when slid to the right. This shaft is held from rotary movement by having a portion of its length square in cross-section where it slides in a square bearing of the housing. Thenumeral46 designates a spring having one end contacting the'shaft 45 and its other end contacting the housing l4 for yieldingly holding the shaft 45 to the right. The

numeral 41 designates a spring trigger element on the shaft 45 capable of entering and engaging any one of the ten depressions 48 in the periphery of the collar 3| for holding the shaft 45 to the left. By this arrangement when the collar 3| is rotated the finger 41 will be forced out 'of one of the depressions 48, thereby permitting the spring 46, to move the shaft 45 to the left and to a position protruding from the left of the housing. Whenin this position the left end of the shaft will protrude through .an opening 49 in the postv l3, thereby rigidly locking the frame l4 to the base, as shown in Fig. 1. Obviously, the device cannot again work without first manually depressingthe shaft 45 back into the housing and the finger 41 into the next depression 48. To prevent the unauthorized depressing of this shaft to a normal position inside the housing, I have provided an enclosing cap 50 over the outer sid of the opening 49.

The practical operation of the device is as follows: The opening II is placed over the merchandise to be marked with the base ID on the merchandise and the handle forced downwardly. The downward movement of the handle causes the frame l4 to move downwardly. As the tray is in engagement with the rack teeth, the first downward movement of the frame willcause the tray to move outwardly from under thetwo' in,-

dicia imprinting elements. These two imprinting elements will, of course, be suitably linked by having been in direct contact with the ink pad'in the tray. By the further downward movement'of the frame the two imprinting elements will pass through the opening I and onto the merchandise, thereby marking it with the indicia on these two members. However, as the element 42 is normally yieldingly held below the plane of the element 44 it will strike the merchandise, first causing the of contact with the merchandise anid' the tray 5 back under them for. re-inking these elements. With the arm free to be moved downwardly relative to the housing" and frame, the shaft will be rotated to. the left. As the pawl 30 has been backed up to engage another internal notch of the collar 34, this rotation of the shaft to'the left will move thecollar 34 one numeral higher and?-otherof the collars may also be moved, provided the preceding collar was moved to zero reading, as is common in registering meters of this class. Obviously, the collar 34 is prevented from rotating. to the left with the shaft ZB'bythe pawl 31?.

From this, it will be seen that each time the handle is depressed to bring the imprinting elements onto merchandise to imprint tax indicia, the meter will so register.

By the tray l8 being of substantial depth and completely filled with a highly resilient inking pad I 9 there is no danger of the counter arm 38 being actuated when the stamp 42 is engaged by the ink pad IS. The ink pad l9 will fluff up to engage both of the stamps 42 and 44 when the device is register various numbers before the shaft 45 looks the device against further use. In the drawing, I show the device locking every one thousand times it is used. When it looks the proper government authority breaks the seal, removes the housing and resets the device by sliding the shaft 45 back into the housing. The merchant is then charged for the next one thousand stampings of the device.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved apparatus for' equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a base portion, a frame portion vertically slidably mounted on said base portion, a stationary imprinting element on said frame, an arm vertically slidably mounted on said frame, a second imprinting element on said arm normally resting in a plane below the plane of said first-mentioned imprinting element, a counter on said frame, and a means for operatively connectingsaid arm to said counter.

2. In a device of the class described, a base portion, a frame portion vertically slidably mounted on said base portion, a means for yieldingly holding said frame in the upward position of its sliding movement, a stationary imprinting element on said frame, an arm vertically slidably mounted on said frame, a means for yieldingly holding said arm in the downward position of its sliding movement, a second imprinting element on said arm and normally in a plane below the plane of said first-mentioned imprinting element, a counter on said frame, and a means for operatively connecting said arm to said counter.

3. In a device of the class described, a base portion, a frame portion vertically slidably mounted on said base portion, a means for yieldingly holding said frame in the upward position of its sliding movement, a stationary imprinting element on said frame, an arm vertically slidably mounted on said frame, a means for yieldingly holding said arm in the downward position of its sliding movement, a second imprinting element on said arm and normally in a plane below the plane of said first-mentioned imprinting element, a means for inking both of said imprinting elements, a counter on said base portion, a means for yieldingly holdingasaid frame in the upward position of its slid;- in-g. movement, a stationary imprinting element ornsaid frame, an arm vertically slidably mounted on said -frame,'a means for yieldingly holding saidxarmin the downwardposition of its sliding movement, a secondimprinting element on said arm and normally in a plane below the plane of said first-mentioned imprinting element, a means for inking both of said imprinting elements, a counter on said frame, a means for operatively connecting said arm to said counter, and a mechanism operatively connected to said counter capable of locking said frame portion to said base portion against relative movement after said counter has registered a predetermined figure.

5. In a device of the class described, a base portion, a frame portion vertically slidably mounted on said base portion, spring means for yieldingly holding said frame in the upward position of its sliding movement, a housing detachably connected to said frame, a means for preventing the detachment of said housing from said frame by unauthorized persons, an imprinting element on said housing, an arm vertically slidably mounted in said housing, a spring means for yieldingly holding said arm in the downward position of its sliding movement, an imprinting element on the lower end of said arm resting in a plane below said first-mentioned imprinting element when said arm is in the downward position of its sliding movement,'a counter in said housing operatively connected to said arm, a releasable means operatively connected to said counter for locking said frame portion to said base portion against relative movement after a predetermined numerical figure has been reached by said counter; said means being capable of releasement only upon removal of said housing from said frame.

6. In a device of the class described, a base portion, a frame portion vertically slidably mounted on said base portion, a means for yieldinglyholding said frame in the upward position of its sliding movement, a stationary imprinting element on said frame capable of imprinting indicia designating the merchandise being taxed and the number assigned to the merchant, an arm vertically slidably mounted on said frame, a means for yieldingly holding said arm in the downward position of its sliding movement, a second imprinting element on said arm and normally in a' plane below the plane of said first-mentioned imprinting element capable of imprinting the name of the government imposing the tax, a means for inking both of said imprinting elements, a counter on said frame, a means for operatively connectingsaid arm to said counter, and a mechanism operatively connectedto said counter capable of locking said frame portion to said base portion against relative movement after said counter has registered a predetermined figure.

7. In a device of the class described, a base portion, a frame portion vertically slidably mounted on said base portion, a means for yieldingly holding said frame in the upward position of its sliding movement, a stationary imprinting element on said frame capable of imprinting indicia designating the merchandise being taxed and the number assigned to the merchant, an arm vertically slidably mounted on said frame, a

means for yieldingly holding said arm in the downward position of its sliding movement, a second imprinting element on said arm and normally in a' plan-e below the piane of said first mentioned imprinting element capable of imprinting the name of the government imposing the tax, a means for inking both of said imr printing elements, a counter on said-frame, a-

means for operatively connecting said arm to said :counter, a mechanism operatively con- 

